Sharp debate in the capitol today between State Senators over whether the Confederate flag should be taken down.

South Carolina State Senators vote to take down the confederate flag from state house grounds

Sharp debate in the capitol today between State Senators over whether the Confederate flag should be taken down.

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Updated: 7:41 PM EDT Jul 6, 2015

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WEBVTT LATEST. CAROL... THE THREE SENATORS VOTING TO KEEP THE FLAG FLYING WERE ALL FROM THE UPSTATE. SENATOR LEE BRIGHT OF SPARTANBURG COUNTY...DANNY VERDIN OF LAURENS COUNTY.. AND HARVEY PEELER OF CHEROKEE COUNTY. ON THIS ISSUE... THEY WERE IN THE MINORITY. SENATORS CAME HERE AT 10-30 THIS MORNING... TO DEBATE THE FLAG ISSUE... MOSTLY BY SAYING WHY THEY THINK IT NEEDS TO COME DOWN. YES, THE HERITAGE ASPECT OF THE CONFEDERATE FLAG WAS ACKNOWLEDGED... AS WAS THE FLAG'S ROLE HISTORY. BUT IN THE END, SENATORS WERE DETERMINED TO BRING DOWN THE FLAG THAT HAS CAUSED SO MUCH ANGUISH IN OUR STATE. SENATOR DANNY VERDIN, WHO FOUGHT TO THE END TO KEEP THAT FLAG FLYING, OFFERED AN IDEA TO LET IT FLY AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR... BUT HIS PROPOSAL FAILED. "I'm asking that the southern cross, what has been defined back in 2000 as the Confederate soldier's infantry flag, the current flag flying, I'm asking that it be raised at sunup and lowered at sundown on the state's holiday that memorializes the confederate soldier." "what happened, happen in our state, there is a quiet bigotry that exists. And if we, those of us who are white, don't say anything when those jokes are told, or those statements are made like the statements this woman made, then we're part of the problem." AGAIN.. 37 SENATORS, INCLUDING VINCENT SHEHEEN, WHO YOU SAW THERE.. VOTED TO TAKE DOWN THE FLAG. THIS WAS ON SECOND READING. SENATORS WILL RETURN TO THE STATEHOUSE TOMORROW FOR A THIRD AND FINAL READING. AFTER THAT, THE MEASURE GOES TO THE HOUSE... WHERE LAWMAKERS ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW THE SENATE.

South Carolina State Senators vote to take down the confederate flag from state house grounds

Sharp debate in the capitol today between State Senators over whether the Confederate flag should be taken down.